Festival Fringe boss welcomes relaxations
Restrictions on live events and arts venues in Scotland are set to be eased by midjuly – and possibly lifted completely by early August.
The controversial two metre distancing rule for theatres, comedy clubs and concert halls will be eased by July 19 under a proposed timetable set out by Nicola Sturgeon.
Outdoor events are also expected to go ahead without social distancing from that date, after the First Minister revealed that people would no longer be asked to physically distance outdoors, although audiences will be capped until the 9 August date. Ms Sturgeon said she hoped that all major legal restrictions on indoor gatherings would be lifted by then.
The easing of restrictions on indoor and outdoor events is a huge boost for events such as the edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe, which are due to get underway on 6 August, and Glasgow’s TRNSMT festival, which is planned to be held on Glasgow Green from September 10-12 .
Shona Mccarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s hugely uplifting to see that the Scottish Government has listened to the collective voice of the culture sector and has gone ahead in making the social distancing guidelines fairer for all.
“Today’s decision means that operators can now plan, prepare and start the difficult road to recovery.
"Our priority now will be in supporting Fringe producers and artists to deliver the best festival that we can.”